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Tips for Healthy Eating During the Holiday Season

Maintaining Good Eating Habits

By KevinPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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The holidays are in full swing. It’s time for family, festivities, and lots of delicious food. Everywhere you go, whether it’s an office party, a family gathering, or another social event, it seems that you’re surrounded by temptation. There are rich dishes, tasty sweets, and sugary beverages at every turn. Eating healthy can seem like an impossibility. Fortunately, you can enjoy the holiday season and still maintain good eating habits. Here’s how.

Create a Plan

Most holiday parties are planned well in advance. Plan your eating on the day of the party accordingly. If you know that you’ll be indulging a little on some not-so-healthy foods that night, choose healthy, nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods to eat during the day. This can help you to balance caloric intake while still ensuring that you get your essential daily vitamins and minerals.

Don’t Skip Meals

One of the most common ways that people compensate for indulging during the holiday season is by skipping meals. You might think that you’re saving calories, but skipping one or more meals during the day can have detrimental effects.

By skipping meals, you run the risk of throwing your blood sugar levels off. Your body’s metabolism may slow down. You may also choose less healthy food options at the party or overeat due to hunger.

Make Substitutions in Your Dishes

Most classic holiday foods are anything but healthy. The great thing, however, is that you can substitute unhealthy ingredients for better alternatives and still serve a delicious meal that everyone can enjoy.

If you’ve been drafted to make a dish for a party, consider making some swaps. Use low-sodium broth in a soup. Swap out sour cream for Greek yogurt. Replace butter with applesauce or pumpkin puree. Instead of eggs, use mashed banana. Simple swaps can make your dishes a little healthier while still providing a tasty option for everyone.

Avoid Overeating

Being surrounded by all kinds of delicious foods at holiday parties creates a lot of temptation. It’s easy to overeat if you’re not careful. There are things that you can do to avoid eating too much, though. For one, drink plenty of water. Eat a healthy snack before going to the party. Use a small plate and take small portions. You can even enjoy a small piece of your favorite holiday treats. Eat slowly so that your body can register when it's full.

You may also choose to take supplements like Princeton Nutrients. Taking certain supplements can help to boost your digestive health enabling it to process what you eat properly. Supplements can also suppress cravings and boost your metabolism to help you more effectively manage your weight.

Stay Active

The holidays are a hectic time, and normal schedules are likely to be disrupted. If you can, continue your regular exercise routine. If not, you can still find ways to exercise between everything that’s going on.

Complete a shorter (but higher intensity) workout. Do sprint intervals outdoors or on a treadmill. Do a few sets of squats, pushups, and sit-ups. You can also get the rest of your family involved by suggesting a walk around the neighborhood or through the local park instead of sitting on the sofa.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Even with the best intentions, there may be a party where you indulge just a little too much. You might have a little too much to eat or a bit too much to drink. The important thing is to not beat yourself up over it. Doing so can lead to more bad choices and unhealthy eating patterns. Instead, forgive yourself and get right back into your healthy habits.

Just because the holidays are here, that doesn’t mean you have to give up on healthy eating. It also doesn’t mean that you have to give up on your favorite dishes. With some smart planning, you can eat healthily, enjoy the holidays, and avoid putting on unwanted pounds.

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